politics
Niger Suspends Nine French Media Outlets
Niger's military government imposed an immediate ban on nine French media organizations on Friday, citing repeated broadcasts that it said endangered public order and national unity. The move extends a pattern of restrictions on foreign and local press since the 2023 coup.
May 9, 11:53 AM·2m read2 sources
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Niger suspended nine French media outlets on Friday in a decision announced by the National Communication Observatory in a statement broadcast on state television. The outlets are France 24, Radio France Internationale, France Afrique Média, LSI Africa, AFP (Agence France-Presse), TV5 Monde, TF1 Info, Jeune Afrique and Mediapart.
The suspension is immediate and applies to satellite packages, cable networks, digital platforms, websites and mobile applications.
A Niger government statement said the suspended media had repeatedly broadcast content likely to seriously endanger public order, national unity, social cohesion and the stability of institutions in Niger. RFI and France 24 were suspended a few days after the July 2023 coup d'état. The BBC was suspended in December 2024.
Burkina Faso banned the broadcasting of the TV5 Monde channel on Tuesday, accusing it of disinformation and apology for terrorism in its coverage of jihadist violence. Mali has banned French media. Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso form the Alliance of Sahel States, all ruled by military juntas.
Niger's military seized power in July 2023, toppling the democratically elected government of President Mohamed Bazoum, who was detained following the coup. The country is ruled by a junta under General Abdourahamane Tchiani. In late 2023, Niger asked France to withdraw thousands of troops.
Two Nigerien journalists, Gazali Abdou, correspondent for Deutsche Welle, and Hassane Zada, editor-in-chief of a regional newspaper, were released this week after being imprisoned for several months. According to the United Nations, 13 journalists were arrested in Niger in 2025. The UN called for the release of the arrested journalists.
